Costa Mesa City Councilman Jim Righeimer and his wife Lene address accusations of drunk driving during a press conference at city hall Firday. Righeimer had been given a sobriety test outside his home on Wednesday evening after a caller told police the councilman had been driving recklessly.

Costa Mesa City Councilman Jim Righeimer makes a statement as he address accusations of drunk driving as his wife Lene listens during a press conference at city hall Friday.

Lene Righeimer, wife of Costa Mesa City Councilman Jim Righeimer, describes what she experienced when police showed up at their home after someone suspected Mr. Righeimer of drunk driving.

Costa Mesa City Councilman Jim Righeimer answers reporters' questions during a press conference at city hall as he address accusations of drunk driving while his wife Lene listens. Righeimer had been given a sobriety test outside his home on Wednesday evening after a caller told police the councilman had been driving recklessly.

Costa Mesa City Councilman Jim Righeimer makes available a receipt for two diet colas he purchased at Skosh Monahan's, where a citizen thought he was drinking alcohol. Righeimer addresses accusations of drunk driving during a press conference at city call this morning.

Costa Mesa City Councilman Jim Righeimer makes a statement as he address accusations of drunk driving during a press conference at city hall Friday. Righeimer had been given a sobriety test outside his home on Wednesday evening after a caller told police the councilman had been driving recklessly.

COSTA MESA – The mystery caller who falsely accused Costa Mesa Councilman Jim Righeimer of driving drunk is a private investigator linked to a law firm that worked for the Costa Mesa Police Association.

Dispatch tapes obtained by The Orange County Register identified the caller as Chris Lanzillo. Lanzillo is a fired Riverside police officer who according to a published report got a medical retirement and became a private investigator. Lanzillo worked sometimes for the Upland law firm of Lackie, Dammeier & McGill, which until late last week represented the Costa Mesa police union.

The union and city are tied up in contract negotiations.

At a news conference Friday, Righeimer blamed employee unions for the “911” call that sent an officer to his home to conduct a sobriety test. Righeimer had just arrived from a local bar, where he had two Diet Cokes. He passed the test, and now wants the District Attorney’s Office to look into the incident, noting a similar event in Buena Park in 2010.

In that case, Councilman Fred Smith said his city’s Police Department tried to set him up for a DUI arrest because of decisions he made on the dais that were unpopular with many officers. Smith was found to be sober; police officials at the time brushed aside Smith’s accusations, saying the officer in question did not know who he was pulling over.

Righeimer said he doesn’t know Lanzillo personally, but wasn’t surprised to learn about his connection to the law firm. The councilman said he believes he had been followed for some time, and that the bar’s security cameras show Lanzillo’s car following Righeimer’s vehicle.

“What these organizations are doing is trying to get personal dirt on elected officials so that they’ll vote against the interest of cities or counties to protect themselves,” Righeimer said. “That’s what makes this so horrendously wrong. …It’s against the whole American system.”

Minutes before the news conference, the police union notified the Register that it had fired Lackie Dammeier for being too aggressive. One of the tactics previously touted by the firm was to target a city or county official until he fell into line – and then go after another “victim.”

Lanzillo could not be reached, but attorney Dieter Dammeier confirmed he did some work for the law firm. Dammeier denied any connection with the Righeimer incident.

“I assure you, he was not employed or authorized to surveil (or do anything else to) Mr. Righeimer by this firm,” Dammeier wrote in an email.

Dammeier also said he understood Costa Mesa’s desire to “go in another direction.”

“While our firm does have a reputation of being aggressive, we have learned to acclimate to the various clients we represent. Given the hyper anti-public employee nature of the council in Costa Mesa, it is understandable that any employee group there will have to go to great lengths to accommodate them,” he wrote.

Dammeier added: “The reason we represent most of the POAs in L.A., Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties is because police officers like and on occasion require aggressive representation.”

For more on Lackie, Dammeier & McGill, see today’s watchdog column in the Local section.

The “911” tape paints a picture of an out-of-control driver, staggering to the car, swerving, rolling through a stop sign.

The caller went on to say that he could be wrong, “but why take a chance?”

Then the caller says he doesn’t want to get involved.

“When I pulled into a location, I saw him coming out. I was meeting a friend over at some location, I can’t remember the name of it now and I saw him like stumbling out of this location,” the caller said. “I don’t know, maybe he’s disabled.”

Then the caller accuses Righeimer of rolling through a stop sign.

He then followed Righeimer home and pointed out the house to the arriving officer.

“The officer made contact with the driver, identified as City Council member Jim Righeimer, and determined that Mr. Righeimer had not been drinking and was not under the influence,” according to a police statement.

Righeimer said he was asked to follow a pen with his eyes and did not have to take further field tests. He dismissed the idea he could have been driving recklessly.

“From day one, when I was given the test,” the councilman said, “right then I realized this was a set-up, I knew immediately it was the labor unions.”

Tony Saavedra is an investigative reporter specializing in legal affairs for the Orange County Register. His work has been recognized by the National Headliner Club, the Associated Press Sports Editors, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association and the Orange County Press Club. His stories have led to the closure of a chain of badly-run group homes, the end of a state program that placed criminals in inappropriate public jobs and the creation of a civilian oversight office for the Orange County Sheriff's Department, among other things. Saavedra has covered the Los Angeles riots, the O.J. Simpson case, the downfall of Orange County Sheriff-turned felon Michael S. Carona and the use of unauthorized drugs by Olympian Carl Lewis. Saavedra has worked as a journalist since 1979 and has held positions at several Southern California newspapers before arriving at the Orange County Register in 1990. He graduated from California State University, Fullerton, in 1981 with a bachelor of arts in communication.

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